Bag stringing machine



Dec. 24, 1935. w. H. WEISNER BAG STRINGING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed Jan. 51, 1935 V INVENTOR. W/LL/F/M H. WE/SNE'R W. H. WEISNER BAG STRINGING MACHINE Dec. 24, 1935.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 51, 1955 INVENTOR. W/LL/HMH WE/s/vER Patented Dec. 24, 1935 UNHTE STATES -ATENT QFFQE.

Goidr Beit Manufacturing Company, Durham,

N. 0., corporation of New .iersey Application January 31, 1935, Serial No. 4,465

'7 Claims.

My present invention relates to machines for automatically inserting draw strings in bags, and particularly to improvements on the machine shown in Patent 1,489,663 of April 8, 1924.

In the said patent, there is provided mechanism for feeding a chain of bags, connected together at spaced intervals by continuous side seam threads, with the open end of one bag following the closed bottom end of the preceding bag, to the draw string inserting mechanism. In connection with the bag feeding means, the said patent provides a bag feeding carriage and. related parts for feeding and positioning the bags successively in proper position relative to the stringing mechanism. The bag feeding and positioning mechanism is shown in the said patent operating in a vertical plane, while the stringing mechanism operates in a transverse or horizontal plane, and both are fixedly supported by a base plate or table top.

While the structure disclosed in the said patent has been operated successfully for several years, it does not provide for nor afford quick adjustment of the bag feeding mechanism and stringing mechanism to handle bags of different widths.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide in a machine of the character above identified, means for quickly and conveniently adjusting the bag feeding mechanism and the stringing mechanism to accommodate or handle various sized bags. In this connection I provide the adjustable means of such a character that they are accessible without partially or substantially disassembling and reassembling the respective mechanisms, as is necessary under the structures heretofore in use.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent and will be pointed out during the course of the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a view similar to Fig. 5 of Patent 1,489,663, that is, a rear elevation of portions of the feeding mechanism with parts in section showing my improvement on the adjustability of this mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 17 of the said patent showing portions of the parts of Fig. 1 enlarged;

Fig. 3 is a perspective exploded View of one of the cam strips which actuate the grippers of the feeding mechanism, and supports and spacers embodying a preferred form of my present invention;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a table top or support on which the stringing and feeding mechanism are mountable; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the top or support shown in Fig. 4 and showing the adjustable supports for parts of the stringing mechanism. 5

In the drawings, the numeral 5 designates the table top or support above mentioned, on which is mounted a bridge-like structure 7 (corresponding to the structure 22 of Patent 1,489,663), and secured to the support 6 by means of bolts 8 ex- 10 tending through the flange 9 and having screw threaded engagement in the openings 19 of the support 6 shown in Fig. 4. The structure 7 supports the same parts as does the corresponding support 22 of said prior patent, including the bag holding arm shaft, not shown in this application, and the uprights l I corresponding to the uprights 25 of Patent 1,489,663, between which the bag feeding mechanism is arranged. The lower ends of the supports l l are provided with flanges I2 resting on the structure 7 and secured thereto by bolts E3.

The supports .ll have arranged therebetween the bag feeding mechanism of Patent 1,489,663, only essential features of which, for the purpose of illustration, are shown in the present case. For convenience, I have utilized the same reference characters in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings forming part of the present application, as are used in the drawings of Patent 1,489,663, to designate corresponding parts of the feed carriage and associated parts. In Figs. 1 and 2, the numerals M3 and 415 designate the upper and lower cross bars of the front and rear sections of the bag feed carriage. The sections are joined together by bolts :22? and 439, and the assembled frame is slidable up and down between uprights H, as explained in detail in said patent. Slidably mounted on cross bars 459 and M 5 are blocks 439, which carry the bag gripping and mouth-separating members. The blocks 439 are normally moved apart and held away from each other in the position shown in Figs. 17 and 19 of Patent 1,489,663 by helical springs 466 held in place by small rods 469, these rods being located in sockets in lugs M2 secured to front and rear faces of each block near the top and bottom thereof, so that there are four of these retracting springs with suitable mountings. The gripper blocks are moved together against the action of the springs at suitable times by cam mechanism presently to be described. This cam mechanism, or rather the actuating mechanism therefor and means for easily and quickly adjusting the same to adapt the machine for feeding different sized bags forms an important part of the present invention. It is believed that the foregoing description, in connection with the detailed description contained in Patent 1,489,663, and the following detailed description of my improvements constituting the present invention will clearly define the invention and the manner of practicing the same.

In the said prior patent, the mechanism for gripping the bags While pulling the chain of bags step by step to successively feed the bags to the stringing mechanism, as also in the present application, is actuated through the medium of lugs 506 which bear against or run along cam stripsor tracks located on the inside of the uprights I I. Whereas in the said patent these cam strips are attached directly to the inner faces of the uprights, my present invention provides separate means for mounting the cam strips or tracks in proper relation to the lugs 55% for engagement thereby, and affords quick and easy relative adjustment of the cam strips or tracksto adapt the bag carrier and gripping mechanism to different sizes of bags, withoutsubstantiallydisassembling and reassembling the mechanism as is necessary under the construction of the said patent to effect such adjustment or adaptability.

The cam strip is shown in perspective in Fig. 3, and is designated generally by the numeral I5, having relatively thick ends it and I1, and an intermediate depressed or concave portion I8. The thickened portions of the cam strips 55 are provided with plain openings I8 and with screw threaded openings I9. The uprights lI are provided with elongated slots 29 of substantially the same area and shape as the outer dimensions of the cam strips l5. Filler blocks, designated generally by the numeral 2 I, are provided with central portions 22 conforming substantially to the size and shape of the slots 29 to be received therein. Extensions Eat-are provided on the ends of the filler blocks and have screw threaded openings 24. The filler blocks are also provided with pins 25 on their inner faces adapted for alinement with the openings l8 of the cam strip to be received therein as the parts are assembled, to facilitate assembly and alinement of the parts. The blocks 2| are also provided with screw threaded openings 26 adapted to be alined with the threaded openings I9 of the cam strips, when pins 25 enter openings I8, whereby screws 2? may be threaded therethrough to secure the cam strips and filler blocks together. Screws 28 are mounted through the openings 24 and alined openings in the uprights I I to secure the filler blocks to the uprights.

It should be obvious from the foregoing, that with the parts assembled as shown in Fig. l, the spacing of the blocks and the gripper mechanism operated by the lugs 506 is determined by the distance between the inner faces of the cam strips. Assuming that in Fig. 1 the arrangement is such as to adapt the machineto carry the widest width of bags to be strung thereon, in order to adjust the machine to receive bags of a narrower dimension, it is simply necessary to remove the screws 28 and 2?, so that the central portion 22 of the filler block 2! may be removed from the slots 29 and detached from the cam strips, whereupon spacing washers W, Fig. 3, may be placed between strips i5 and filler blocks 2! at screws 21 to move the strips i5 toward each other and contract the gripping and feeding mechanism.

It should be obvious that such adjustment of the cam strips and bag feeding mechanism is effected-without removing, disassembling, or reassembling any of the other parts of the feeding mechanism. In actual practice, it has been established that suohadjustment is accomplished in a relatively few minutes as against a considerable portion of a day required to adapt a machine made in accordance with the said patent to bags of different widths. This results in a considerable saving in time and practically no loss in the operation of the machines regardless of the different widths of bags to be made thereon in a single day.

By using washersiof diiferent thickness the adjustments may be varied considerably to a wide range of bags.

It should also be obvious that the filler blocks 2I may be made of different predetermined thicknesses determined according to the widths'of the bags, and interchanged to accomplish the same result and eliminating the washers. Also the different filler blocks might have the cam surfaces formed on their inner faces.

In Fig. l the numeral 2| I designates, as'it also does in Patent 1,489,663, the bag holding arms which receive the bags from the carrier and position them for the operations to be performed in the stringing. As mentioned above, the stringing mechanism in the present case and the operations performed on the bag is the same as in the said patent, and I have shown only so much as is necessary to an understanding of the second feature of my present invention, namely, the adjustability of the stringing mechanism which must be adjusted to correspond with the adjustments made on the carrier mechanism. For a full understanding of this feature of the invention, reference should be had to Figs. 4 and 5 on the drawings, in which the numeral 6 designates the table top or supportthe same as in Fig. 1.

The top or support 6 is shown as being inthe nature of an integral casting having a central enlarged rectangular opening 38-at opposite sides of which are lateral extensions 32, and at opposite ends of the opening 3E there arelongitudina-l extensions 3I. Across the central portion of the opening 39 on opposite sides of the extensions 32 are bars 33 reinforcing the top or support at the point Where the eniarged opening is provided. Also along opposite sides of the-opening 3B, the

top is provided with depressedportions forming I ledges 34 having screw threaded openings 35.

Whereas in Patent 1,489,663, the top itself rigidly or fixedly supports theneedle guideactuating mechanism and other parts, in the present case I provide a pair of similar plates 36 arra'nged on the ledges 35 at opposite sides of thelateral extensions 32, and each plate'havlng-similar confronting portions, and each having in its outer enda slot 3'! alined with thelongitudinal extensions 3| of opening and forming-inconjunction therewith, a space in which the needle carriage actuating mechanism operates. At the inner ends of the slots 37 there are located needle carriage guide supports 38, and at the outer ends of the extensions 3i there are located similar needle carrier guide supports 38'. These parts 38, 38', corresponding to the parts I00 of the said patent.

The plates 355 are provided with slightly elongated openings or slots 39 to register with the screw threaded openings of the ledges when the plates are placed on the ledges. In Fig. 5, I have shown bolts 40 inserted throughthe-slcits and screw threaded into the openings 35, and havc left some'ofthe bolts out to show the-arrange- 'ment of the slots 39, it being understood that each of the slots 39 and openings 35 receive a bolt 40, when the apparatus is fully assembled. It should be obvious that by loosening the bolts, the plates may be shifted toward and away from each other for the purpose of obtaining the adjustment of the stringing mechanism above mentioned, and hereinafter more particularly pointed out.

Each of the plates 36 is provided with openings or slots 4!, one on each side of the openings 31. The purpose of the slots 4| is to accommodate the oscillating members of the needle guide actuating mechanism of the said prior patent. The space between the plates 36 alined with the lateral extensions 32 accommodates the bag holding arms 2 which rotate through said space.

Each of the plates 36 is also provided with a plurality of screw threaded openings 42, to which the plates, similar to plates I 65! of the said prior patent forming the guides for the needle guide actuating member, are secured. The construction and operation of the said needle actuating mechanism is the same in this case as in the said patent, and it is believed that no detailed description thereof need be given, except to point out that in the said prior patent the plates forming the guides for the needle guide actuating mechanism are fixedly secured to the rigid table top, and that in the said patent there are four cam bodies I042 secured at stationary points on the table, and each having a cam groove receiv ing the end of an arm for operating the needle guide mechanism, shown in Figs. 52 and 53 of the said patent. The feature of the needle guide mechanism of the said patent, and it is the same in this case, is to open the hems of the bags at the proper point or end of the hems, so that the needles may enter the hems without mutilating the bag. Obviously, under the construction of the said patent where the said cam blocks are secured to fixed portions of the top, and where the needle guide actuating mechanism is also fixedly secured, adjustment of the said cam blocks and needle guide mechanism is practically impossible without practically reconstructing the machine each time an adjustment is to be made. Furthermore, without accurate adjustment, the needles will not properly enter the hems but will mutilate the bags instead of properly inserting the draw strings through the hems.

With the foregoing in mind, and bearing in mind that under my invention the needle guide actuating mechanism is carried by adjustable plates 36, and that the cam blocks 44 (corresponding to the cam blocks I042 of the said patent) are also carried by the plates 36, as shown in Fig. 5, where they are seated in notches 45, adjustment or movement of the plates 36 toward or away from each other simultaneously effects adjustment of the needle guide mechanism to adapt it accurately to properly insert draw strings through the hems of bags of different widths.

Obviously the adjustment of the plates 36 is made without disassembling or rearranging any of the operating parts of the machine simply by unloosening the bolts 49 and sliding the plates 36 toward or away from each other a distance accurately gauged by a ruler according to the widths of the bags to be operated on. Furthermore, the adjustments of the plates 36 carrying the blocks 44 is made to correspond to the adjustment made on the feed carriage mechanism above described and shown in Figs. 1-3.

In actual practice it has been found that the adjustments of the respective mechanisms, namely, the feed carriage and bag gripper mechanism of Figs, 1-3, and the needle guide supports of Fig. 5 can be made quickly and accurately synchronized with little or no trouble and without requiring the services of a skilled mechanic to effect the adjustments and adaptability of the machines to bags of different sizes.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the character described for inserting draw strings in bags and including string inserting mechanism and feeding mechaanism to deliver the bags to the stringing. mechanism, a base,'uprights mounted'on the base and supporting the feeding mechanism, said uprights having longitudinal slots therein, cam strips, means mounted in the said slots supporting the cam strips on the inner faces of the uprights for engagement by parts of the feeding mechanism and removable to permit insertion of spacing elements to adjustably position said strips relative to each other to adapt the feeding mechanism to operate on bags of different widths, and relatively movable supports on said base carrying parts of the stringing mechanisms, and adjustable on said base to effect adjustment of said stringing mechanism to operate on bags of different widths according to the adjustment of the feeding mechanism.

2. In a machine of the character described for inserting draw strings in bags and including string inserting mechanism and feeding mechanism to deliver the bags tothe stringing mechanism, a base, uprights mounted on the base supporting the feeding mechanism, said uprights having longitudinal slots therein, blocks located in said slots and carrying on their inner faces cam strips to cooperate with parts of the feeding mechanism, means for removably attaching said blocks to the uprights and permitting movement of said cam strips through said slots for insertion of spacers between said blocks and strips to adapt the feeding mechanim to bags of different widths, and relatively movable supports on said base carrying parts of the stringing mechanism and adjustable on said base to adapt said stringing mechanism to operate on bags of different widths according to the adjustment of the feeding mechanism.

3. In a machine of the character described for inserting draw strings in bags and including string inserting mechanism and feeding mechanism to deliver the bags to the stringing mechanism, a base plate having a relatively large opening therein, a pair of plates mounted in said opening and relatively adjustable toward and away from each other, said plates supporting parts of the stringing mechanism for movement with the plates to adjust said mechanism to operate on bags of different widths, uprights mounted on the base and supporting the feeding mechanism, cam strips supported on the uprights, and means accessible from the exterior of the uprights for moving said cam strips toward and away from each other to adjust the feeding mechanism to operate on bags of different widths corresponding to the widths on which the stringing mechanism is adapted to operate.

' 0 4. In a machine of the character described for 7 inserting draw strings in bags and including string inserting mechanism and feeding mechanism to deliver the bags to! the stringing mechanism, a base having an opening therein, plates mounted in said opening and relatively adjustablewith' respect to each other, said plates supporting parts of the stringing mechanism mov able therewithto adapt said mechanism to stringing bags of different widths, and means for adjusting said'feeding mechanism to handle bags oi the same widths as those to which thestringin'g 'mechanism-is adapted.

5-.--I'n a machine of the character described for inserting draw strings in bags and including string'insertingmechanism and feeding mechanism to deliver the bags to the stringing mechanism, independent supports for the feeding -mechanism 'and stringing mechanism, and means on said supports for adjusting the respective feeding and stringing mechanisms to operate on bags of difierent sizes said means being operable without disassembly of the respective feeding and stringing mechanisms.

=6; In a machine of the character described for inserting draw strings in bags and including string inserting mechanism and feeding mechanism to deliver the bags to the stringing mechanism, a base having an opening therein, plates mounted in said opening and relatively adjustable with respect to: each other, cam blocks car'- ried by said'plates and'movable therewith to opnism to deliver the bags to they stringing'mechanism, a base, uprights mounted on the base supporting the feeding mechanism, said uprights having longitudinal slots therein, blocks located in said slots and provided on their inner faces with cam elements to cooperate with parts of the feeding mechanism, means for removably attaching said blocks to the uprights and affording relative adjustment of said cam elements to adapt the feeding mechanism to bags of different 20 Widths, and relatively movable supports on said base carrying parts of the stringing mechanism and adjustable on said base to adapt said stringing mechanism to operate on bags of different Widths according to the adjustment of the feed- 25 ing mechanism.

WILLIAM H. WEISNER. 

